Sure, most people know Craigslist is the place you can go to sell your bike, or buy a futon frame…maybe find an apartment to rent. But let me share with you a few lesser known nuggets of the most incredible site on the web.

If you look at the Craigslist for Denver, or any other city…it looks a little bland. A LOT bland. White background, plain blue lettering all over the screen. But there is MAGIC hidden behind just about every one of those little blue words.

Some highlights:

1. Services

Want your car fixed, CHEAP? Guitar lessons anywhere-anytime? A mobile tattoo service? Want somebody to teach your cat to walk on a leash!? Colon hydrotherapy anyone? “Sick-ass” graffitti!? YOU GOT IT!

Simply put, you want it done, Craigslist has someone who can do it for you…whenver and wherever you want, at a negotiable price. And, this is just the non-freaky stuff. Which brings me to…

2. Personals

The OBVIOUS idea behind the personals is simple. Women seeking men, men seeking women, men seeking monkeys..whatever. These areas are actually more than just a little sad. The real fun with the Craigslist personals reside where everybody can look without feeling dirty…kind of. Make sure to wander at least once a week into “Rants and Raves” and “Missed Connections”. Both are exactly what they sound like.

If you want to feel better about your own spelling and punctuation, drop into Rants and Raves and see what it looks like when people are typing angry…and probably drunk…and crazy. While you’re there, post your own rant, or rave. And feel secure in the fact that it’s ALL anonymous! JUST SAY IT!

Missed Connections? That’s where you go when you saw that guy/girl in line at Safeway and you THINK you exchanged glances but you’re a huge wimp and couldn’t get the gumption to say anything. So instead you creepily type out the scene hoping that that other person will creepily be reading the Craigslist personals and recognize the event and then you will get together and date and get married and have creepy kids together. Does this ever even WORK? If so, I guess you deserve each other.

3. Lost and Found

Lost, not as fun as FOUND!

Examples:
FOUND – Jack Russel Terrier, not with a broken leg. (WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!)
FOUND – Set of keys, call to describe. (With a PICTURE of the keys.)
FOUND – Mattress, bring a reciept to prove you are the owner. (used mattress, score!)

4. ETC.

O.K. I actually considered NOT sharing this part of Craigslist. Why? Because it is SO awesome I wanted to selfishly keep it as my own secret. It is what it is….ETC. It’s also where you can find people to pay you for you opinion. No joke, here is a short list of what people have PAID me to do in the past few months:

Shop for sunglasses – $75
Talk about my car – $150
Talk about my home – $100
Talk about my feelings – $100
Drink Beer – $75
Eat chocolate – $125

No Joke, and I won’t tell you any more…figure it out. ETC!

And finally -

5. The Best of Craigslist

Somebody, somewhere, actually pays attention to what’s getting posted in ALL areas of Craigslist from ALL over the country – THE WORLD. With all of that material, you get. well, the best…of Craigslist, which is pretty spectacular.

A few examples:

Astronaut Needed!

Somebody didn’t steal my bike!

Pimp Mac Daddy’n!

I need help moving my chickens

So I’ve BARELY scratched the surface with Craigslist. So, if you’re a even the smallest bit intrigued and not easily offended – you OWE it to yourself to spend a little quality time with this simple (looking) site. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your Missed Connection!..creep.

-Brody